*NEW* Rosters & Waivers Required *NEW*
All players must be listed on the team roster AND must accept & sign the online waiver to be allowed to play. Captains can edit their roster by logging in at https://www.playerssports.net/login and clicking "Manage My Team." Once listed on the roster, all players can log in to sign the waiver at https://www.playerssports.net/player/waiver
 
Sportsmanship 
Being competitive on the field is applauded & encouraged in all of our leagues! It is also important to understand that there is a fine line between being competitive & being unsportsmanlike. All players and referees should treat one another with respect on the field & after the game. Everyone has to go to work tomorrow, so please keep safety & sportsmanship in mind out there!
 
Inclusivity
Every individual participating in a Players Sport & Social Group program may compete as a member of the gender that they identify with, regardless of their gender at birth. We expect all players to be respectful and honor the spirit of this policy. We are LGBTQIA+ friendly (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Asexual and other sexualities and gender identities/expressions). 
 
We have found that open communication between teams is super helpful. If there is a situation that may raise some questions from opposing teams, captains are encouraged to have a quick conversation with our umpire/official before the game to ensure everyone is on the same page. At the end of the day, inclusivity is key. 

 
 
OVERVIEW
Pickleball is a racket sport played using a perforated ball on a badminton size court (20 x 44 feet), with a tennis style net. This court is divided into right and left service courts, and non-volley zones. Play begins as the server serves diagonally across the court over the net. There is a 7-foot no-volley zone on each side of the net, where players must allow the ball to drop before returning to prevent spiking of the ball. Points can only be scored by the side that serves, and the server will continue to serve, alternating between service courts, until the serving side commits a fault or loses a rally. The first side to score 11 points, wins.

PLAY FORMAT
Matches will consist of 3 games played to 11, win by 2 with cap of 13. Matches are played in 45 minute time slots, with time up after 45 minutes of play. If play is ongoing at the 45 minute mark, the team in the lead will win that current game.
Each game within a match will count in the overall standing for the regular season. 

BEGINNING OF THE GAME
Teams decide who will serve first via a game of Rock Paper Scissors. The team who does not serve first chooses which side they prefer to play on. 

GAME RULES
Service

-The server must have their feet behind the back line when serving

-The server’s arm must swing upward when the ball is struck

-Contact with the ball on serve must be made below waist level

-The ball cannot be bounced on the server's side of the court.

-A serve that hits the net before landing in the appropriate service court is allowed and play should continue.

-The serve must clear the non-volley serve line and land in the diagonal opposite service court. 

-A ball that lands on the non-volley line is deemed OUT.

-Only one serve attempt is allowed. Only one fault is allowed before service is forfeitted. 

-The first serve of each service is made from the right side court

-If a point is scored by the service team, the server switches sides to the left court and continues to alternate until the server loses the serve.

-In doubles, when a server loses the point, their partner then serves from the right side of court.

-Once the 2nd server loses the point, the opposing team begins service from their right side of court.

-In singles, the server serves from the right side when their score is even, and the left side when their score is odd

-TWO-BOUNCE RULE: The returning team MUST allow a bounce before returning a serve, the service team must then allow the ball to bounce before playing the return of serve. Once these first two bounces have occurred, the ball can be volleyed in keeping with the volley rules below.

-Manipulating the ball to add spin during the release of the ball is not allowed. Some natural rotation of the ball when it is released is allowable but the server must not impart manipulation or spin prior to striking the ball to serve. This applies to the volley serve and the drop serve.

Volleys
-Volley returns are only allowed when the players feet are behind the no-volley line
-A fault is called if a player steps over the line on follow through of a volley.

Line Calls
-All shots must land within the court lines (if not volleyed). A ball making any contact with the line (except the non-volley zone line on a serve) is considered in.
 
Faults
-A fault is any action that stops play due to a rule violation
-A fault by the receiving team results in a point for the serving team
-A fault by the serving team results in loss of serve or beginning of 2nd server (in doubles).

 
TEAM SIZE
• Singles (One Player – no gender specifics)
-One player on the court at all times.
• Doubles (Two Players – no gender specifics)
- 2 player teams ARE allowed to play with 1 player if partner is not present for regular season and playoffs.
-Teams may have more than 2-players on their roster. Rosters must be finalized by Week 2. A player must play at least 1 game in the regular season to be eligible for playoffs. A player may not play for more than 1 team in the playoffs.
 
Refs:
ALL GAMES WILL BE SELF-REFFED. THERE WILL BE NO OBLIGATION ON THE PART OF ANY PARTICIPANTS TO SEND REFEREES EARLY OR LEAVE REFEREES AFTER A MATCH. 
Captains are responsible for reporting the results of their matches to the league supervisor.
In cases where teams fail to record their results, both teams may receive losses for the match.
 
 
 
Forfeits 
Teams will forfeit one game every ten minutes past the designated start time that they do not have the legal amount of players. If ZERO players from a team are present after ten minutes, the team will forfeit all three games. All teams consenting to play a legal game with their opponents having less than the allowed minimum waive their right to a forfeit win. Teams are allowed to pick up players during the regular season in order to field a full team. Substitutes from other teams will not be allowed during playoffs. Players must play in a minimum of one regular season game to be eligible for the playoffs. There are no protests once a match begins. All issues of player eligibility must be addressed with the supervisor before the match starts.
If your team forfeits a match during the season, the following rules apply:

First Offense:            Loss of three games and warning issued.

Second Offense:      Loss of three games and staff reserves the right to remove the team from playoffs with no refund for games not played

Third Offense:          Automatic removal from the league with no refund for games not played.

If you know in advance that your team will be forfeiting a match, we encourage you to call our office so we can let your opponent know that you won’t be showing up
 
PLAYOFF SEEDING RULES
All leagues that have 12 or more teams will be split into a Flight A & Flight B Playoff Bracket.  At the end of the season all captains are responsible for confirming their team’s end of season team record.  Once playoff brackets are posted and playoff games are played the tournament seeding will not be changed.  If there is an incorrect score posted for your team, the captain is responsible for notifying the league office prior to the playoffs being played.

USA PICKLEBALL 

Normal rules and penalties of USA PICKLEBALL apply unless exceptions have been made herein.
https://usapickleball.org/docs/ifp/USA-Pickleball-Rulebook.pdf